Toni-Leslie James News

Mario Cantone will host this year's Lucille Lortel Awards, which are being presented as a virtual broadcast and benefit for The Actors Fund on Sunday, May 3, at 7pm. The online event will bring together theatre performers, industry veterans, and fans worldwide in a celebration of Off-Broadway.

The original Broadway cast recording of COME FROM AWAY will be released on vinyl worldwide for the first time on Friday, May 15. The album will be available as a 2-LP set on blue vinyl. Previously only available in the US as a limited-edition yellow vinyl, this edition will be available worldwide.

The 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards has partnered with 'Stars in the House' to live stream this year's Nominations. Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, the hosts of the virtual daily series benefiting the Actors Fund, will announce the nominees.

The world premiere musical THE VISITOR was originally scheduled to open at The Public Theater tonight, April 15. In honor of Opening Night, The Public has just released a music video of David Hyde Pierce (Walter), Ari'el Stachel (Tarek), and the cast of THE VISITOR performing the song 'Heart In Your Hands.'

Nominations for the 35th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were announced today by theatre veterans Jeremy Jordan and Ashley Spencer. The Awards will be presented during a special online event on Sunday, May 3, broadcast on the official website - www.LortelAwards.org - beginning at 7:00pm ET. A virtual 'host' and presenters will be announced at a later date. As always, the Lortel Awards will be a benefit for The Actors Fund and fans are encouraged to make donations at actorsfund.org/Lortel. The Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and the Lucille Lortel Theatre Foundation. Additional support is provided by TDF.

A Chinese touring production of the global success, Come From Away, has been postponed amid the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

Lincoln Center Theater has announced an online ticket lottery for its new musical FLYING OVER SUNSET, beginning with the musical's first preview Thursday, March 12 at 8pm at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). The musical, with book and direction by James Lapine, music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Michael Korie, and choreography by Michelle Dorrance will open Thursday, April 16.

Seattle Rep presents the Broadway production of August Wilson's Jitney in the Bagley Wright Theater, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

I've often talked about the embarrassment of theatrical riches that we have in Seattle. We have several companies that bring us new works, many of which have made their way on to Broadway. We have a wealth of extremely talented performers who constantly wow us with their gifts. And we have a reputation that brings in talented others to play in our sandbox. But we also have a local connection to one of America's most acclaimed playwrights, August Wilson, and so we get things like the Tony nominated Broadway production of Wilson's a?oeJitneya?? remounting at the Seattle Rep with the Broadway director, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and several of the Broadway cast.

Seattle Rep will present the Broadway production of August Wilson's Jitney, beginning February 28 in the Bagley Wright Theater. Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney was the last of Wilson's plays to premiere on Broadway, where it won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

In over ten years of being in the audience at the Hobby Center, I have never heard applause as loud and abundant as I did at last night's curtain call. It was as if the whole audience agreed not only that we had witnessed something significant, but were acknowledging that we witnessed it together. In seeing COME FROM AWAY there is an otherworldly layer of unity as an audience member, as all of us shared to some extent the story that was being played out onstage.

Seattle Rep will present the Broadway production of August Wilson's Jitney, beginning February 28 in the Bagley Wright Theater. Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney was the last of Wilson's plays to premiere on Broadway, where it won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

Come From Away is celebrating its first birthday in the West End! More tickets are going on sale, taking bookings through to 17 October 2020.

Center Theatre Group has announced its 54th season at the Ahmanson Theatre, which features Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, The Prom, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more!

International success story, COME FROM AWAY continues to attract accolades around the world, after today receiving the most nominations in the 2020 Green Room Awards.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced complete casting today for the world premiere musical THE VISITOR, with music by Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt, lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Yorkey, book by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Brian Yorkey, and choreography by Lorin Latarro.

Today, producers Brian Moreland, Ron Simons, Eric Falkenstein, Mike Jackson and singer John Legend announced complete casting for Blue, a play by Charles Randolph-Wright and directed by Phylicia Rashad which will play a 16-week limited engagement at New York's legendary Apollo Theater (253 West 125th Street) in Harlem starting Monday, April 27 with opening night set for May 10.. Blue will run through August 16.

Producers Brian Moreland, Ron Simons, Mike Jackson, John Legend and Eric Falkenstein announced today that tickets for Blue are officially on-sale. The beloved play by Charles Randolph-Wright with music by Nona Hendryx and lyrics by Charles Randolph-Wright, will play a 16-week engagement at New York's legendary Apollo Theater (253 West 125th Street), under the direction of Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad who starred in both the play's 2000 world premiere at Arena Stage and 2001 New York premiere at Roundabout Theatre Company. Previews are set to begin on April 27th with opening night on May 10th. Blue will run through August 16th.

Seattle Rep is proud to present the acclaimed Broadway production of August Wilson's Jitney, beginning February 28 in the Bagley Wright Theater. Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney was the last of Wilson's plays to premiere on Broadway, where it won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. 

The Old Globe presents August Wilson's Jitney, directed by one of Wilson's foremost interpreters, Ruben Santiago-Hudson (directed Jitney on Broadway, performed in Gem of the Ocean and Seven Guitars). The American master and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson (the American Century Cycle of 10 plays) had a close relationship with The Old Globe, where three of his plays premiered.